Will Analog Multitracks ever be made again?

Will Analog Multitracks ever be made again?


  • Total voters
    123
I read the above dissertation! It is interesting! With the fall of the music industry there just is not the money for large productions. The old machines well maintained were built to last almost forever! Digital has taken over but it still is not the same!

I am personally going back to analog! In the late 60s and early 70s I was into analog! I had another occupation x 35 years! In the last 8 years, I started a small home studio that has continued to enlarge! 45 CDs(albums) later I decided to retire. This week I am buying an Otari MTR 90 24 to 2" machine! I still have 5 1/4 track machines from that era an old Sony and Shure mics. I am going back into analog for those musicians that want the sound!

The problem is the tape costs!
The machine is normalized for Ampex 546! Any suggestions about getting tape at reduced costs?

I have bought new RMGI 1/4 tape but the costs are still high for 2" tape!

It is interesting that the Masters I have from the 60s and 70s do not need to be baked. Does anybody know when the formulation of the glue changed. That led to shedding of the oxide!

What year did they change the formulation back to the formulation that would not shed?

Too many questions and not enough time.

Tom
 
This week I am buying an Otari MTR 90 24 to 2" machine!

The problem is the tape costs!
The machine is normalized for Ampex 546! Any suggestions about getting tape at reduced costs?

I have bought new RMGI 1/4 tape but the costs are still high for 2" tape!


Sweet.
The MTR 90 machines are nice, pro decks...assuming it's in good condition, you should get some good sounds out of that.
They are a bit strange with no capstan...but if it runs well, it's all the same in the end
There's been a LOT of MTR 90s getting parted out lately on eBay....so keep an eye out if you need parts

I have an Otari MX-80 2" which is in great shape, and I do all my tracking to it. I love that deck.
Not sure why, but I don't see too many guys parting them out. Every time I see some Otari parts I get excited, only to find out it's more MTR 90 stuff.

Some say that they like the MX-80 sound better, but that's all subjective., and I'm a bit biased. :)
The MTR 90 decks have been used in many pro studios. They can be more finicky compared to the MX-80 which is a real workhorse...but if the 90 is in good shape, you set it up right, maintain it...you'll get a lot of use out of it.

Anyway...tape costs and availability are what they are. New...there's not a lot of choices. NOS, you have to get lucky and look for the occasional sale/deal. Used, there is plenty of and can be had cheap. Sure, you might get an occasional bad reel of tape, but it's the gamble...otherwise, nothing wrong with used tape in good condition. Erase it and record again.
I've done a bunch of tracking on used tape...sounds great.

Yes, they are by default set up for 456....but you can use other formulations...you just have to re-calibrate it.
 
Last edited:
Go over to the Tapeheads forum.There are discussions and links about SSS,(Sticky Shed syndrome). The days of $120 a reel 2" are gone.I prefer the ATR Magnetics tape over the RMGI.
 
Looking back to the title of the topic, who would have thought that vinyl would come back? I'm not talking about the ultra audiophile or DJ stuff, but we now have a TV advert for re-issued ordinary records, and people are buying them. I guess that if there is a market, they could indeed make a re-appearance. I'm surprised the Chinese haven't seen a market here, they're actually quite good at precision mechanics and electronics?
 
Right now there are 3 tape suppliers and 4 new tape formulations. The tape market hasn't been this crowded in a very long time. A brand new Revox is said to be due out in 2017. However if you survey the professional studio community you'll find an overwhelming disdain for tape. Very few engineers are willing to fuss with the stuff again. So whatever is going to come along it's going to require new blood willing to run tape as even a secondary multi track format.
 
I do see the 'draw' of analogue equipment - but I'm firmly in the digital sound, by preference. I nearly bought a reel to reel on ebay, a machine that I regretted selling the minute I did it. For no reason other than that it was nice. I suspect that the multitrack as we know/knew it will never come back. In 1977, a 22" TV cost £299. in 2016 a 22" TV costs less than £200. Back then I earned £20 a week - the maths doesn't work. A complex thing like a mechanical reel to reel would have to be almost motor car prices - many thousand pounds, and the market for such a tribute product would be amazingly small, and just gearing up for a few years spares would cost a fortune. It would be nice, they would sell to enthusiasts, but would anyone want to make them? Look at broadcast video with rotary head machines. Exactly the same thing. People now buy a solid state device for a tiny price, compared to staffing a maintenance department and employing real technicians to keep the things running. Sad, but just how the world is.
 
Yep, the cost of a quality multi track R2R would likely be horrendous, I know my Tascam ATR-60 16 trk 1" cost approx., $36kAU in the mid 90's here in Aust., 12 years ago we picked it up from a local radio station with a quantity of tape and the manual for $1200AU.

:cool:
 
I voted no because they certainly won't ever be made for any kind of mass market again.

However, it won't surprise me greatly if somebody makes a few ultra-expensive "boutique" specials for people with more money than sense. They'll likely be based on some existing "classic".
 
Hi again,

I have been using my Otari MTR90II with Dolby SR24 noise reduction for 18 months,
It is very quiet. 15 ips.
Occasional 30 ips without Dolby. The bass bump is missing at 30 ips!

I have settled on Ampex and Quantegy 499.
All 456 has SS syndrome. 3M 996 is also bad. I have a shelf of 13 2" reels that are bad.

I have only had 2 out of 80 used reels of 499 bad! I get used reels and bulk erase them.
I use the R2R for music acquisition on analog.

I then transfer analog tapes through my Antelope Orion 32+ analog converter's to digital using CuBase 9. (MacPro).
I edit digitally at 24/96 and then either master it here or send a wave master for mastering elsewhere.

Analog does sound better!

The cost is the problem!
A new 24 track machine will cost $250K!
Albums that I have been recording use on the average of 4-5 reels! (Dolby at 15 ips saves tape costs).10 reels at 30 ips.

At $375 per new reel it adds up!
Cutting costs is where it is at!
Good used tape costs on the average of $100/reel for tape without splices!

I would hope analog tape comes back but,
due to the cost it will not happen!
THH
 
Nothing is impossible, but would it be a true analog machine? True analog is an unbroken chain. Studio multi-track to twin track master. Pressing plant twin track copy to vinyl.
 
I can't recall, but I assume we've already covered the point that the existing inventory of machines is more than what is needed to fulfill the small and generally diminishing demand for analog recording, both commercial and private? While the long-lasting stock of existing machines is more than enough, price will remain low (a deck is roughly worth the value of the tape heads) and far too low to suggest the manufacture of new machines.

Otto
 
Back
Top